Locomotive feed-water heater



E. A. AVERILL.

LOCOMOTIVE FEED WATER HEATER. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 26, 1918.

.1 ,412,597, Patented Apr 11, 1922.

I, g I mvsu'ron wmwss UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EARL A. AVERILL, OF MOUNT VERNON, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO LOCOMOTIVE FEED WATER HEATER COMPANY, OF WILMINGTON, DELAJVARE, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

LOCOMOTIVE FEED-WATER HEATER.

Application filed January 26, 1918.

T 0 aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EARL A. AVERILL, of Mount Vernon, in'thecounty of lVestchester and State of 'New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Locomotive FeedWVater Heaters, of which improvement the following is a specification.

My invention relates to locomotive feed water heaters of the class or type in which exhaust steam is employed as the heating medium, and its object, generally stated, is to effect an economy in the use of feed water, thereby increasing the distance that the locomotive can be run between water stops; to improve the quality of the water in the tender tank; to prevent the objectionable results of drainage of water to the track; and to prevent the escape of steam when no water is being supplied to the heater.

The improvement claimed is hereinafter fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawing: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic side view of a locomotive engine and tender, illustrating an application of my invention, and; Fig. 2, a similar front view of the locomotive.

The exhaust steam used in feed water heaters of the type to which my invention relates, carries with it into the heater, lubricating oil in varying quantities, which may, at times, constitute a substantial portion of its volume, and it is undesirable to return the condensate to the locomotive boiler without having freed it from its oil content. Further, the condensate is, in many cases of ordinary practice, drained to the track and wasted, and inasmuch as it is, except to its oil content, pure water at a high temperature, it is of decided value and importance to remove the oil and thereafter return the condensate to the boiler. In addition to the economy of water which will thereby be effected, the objectionable results of the drainage of water to the track, which, in cold climates, involves the liability of freezing of switches and cross overs, will be efi'ectually obviated.

My invention is designed to enable the entire volume of the condensed exhaust steam to be freed from contained lubricating oil and returned to the tender tank, for supply to the heater and thence to the boiler, by an apparatus of simple and inexpensive construction and ready applicability in standard constructions. My invention also provides Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 11, 1922.

Serial No. 213,872.

improved means for supplying cold water to a squirt hose, for wetting down coal in the tender and washing out the locomotive cab deck.

My invention is herein exemplified as applied in connection with a feed water supply and heating system, which, in and of itself, is not claimed as of my present invention, and which comprehends a feed water heater, 1, which may be of any suitable and pre ferred construction, and which is located, near the cylinders, preferably in front and below the smoke box, A, of a locomotive boiler, A. Feed water is drawn from the tender tank, B, through a supply pipe, 2, by a pump, 3, which forces it, through a do livery pipe, 4, into and through the heating elements of the heater, 1, which may be of tubular or other known construction, of the well known surface type in which elements it is subjected to the action of exhaust steam, supplied through pipes, 5, and thence passes, through a pipe, 6, to and past a check valve, 7, and into the boiler. The condensate of the exhaust steam passes out of the heater through a drain pipe, 8, which, in ordinary 1 ractice, drops it upon the track.

in the practice of my invention, refering descri i-tively to the specific embodiment hcreof which heroin illustrated, the drain fps, 8, instead of having, as in prior conructions, its discharge end open to the ark, is extended rearwardly and is connected to, and forms the supply pipe of, a forcing mechanism, which may, as shown, be a pump, 9, located adjacent to the rear end of the locomotive. A delivery pipe, 10, leads from the pump, 9, to a filter, 11, of any suitable and prefered construction, which is pr ferably, as shown, supported on the top of the tender tank, B. A water discharge ipe, 11, leads from the filter, into the "einler tank, and the oil which is separated ,1Oid the condensate, in passing through the her, is withdrawn therefrom through a a sage controlled by a cook or valve, 11".

1.11 order to provide a supply of water for wetting down the coal in the tender tank, when desired, or washing out the locomotive cab deck, a pipe, 12, is connected to the delivery side of the pumn, 3, and led into the locomotive cab, where it is controlled by a cock or valve, 12, and is adapted for con nection to a squirt hose. Inasmuch as the pump, 3, delivers only cold water, a sup-ply thereof is available for the purposes stated, Whenever desired, and liability to accidents :trom scalding by hot Water, Which has heretoiore obtained, is Wholly obviated.

My invention is not limited to the application of any specific mechanism for effecting the supply of condensate from a heater to a filter, as various forms of force pumps, actuated by fluid pressure, Which are Well known in the art, are adapted for the purpose. v

The improvement above described, presents the advantages of separating the oil from the condensate of a locomotive feed Water heater and preventing the objectionable results of the drainage of condensate upon the track, or escape of uncondensed steam by an apparatus, the construction of which is simple and inexpensive; Which may be readily applied Without interference with other members of a locomotive; and which embodies no parts which involve undue cost of maintenance or liability to failure in operation.

I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In a locomotive tied water heating sys tem, the comblnatlon of a feed Water heater located on a locomotive; means for supplying Water thereto from a tender tank; means for conveying a separated current of exhaust steam to the heating elements of the heater; a filter located on the tender; a drain pipe leading from the feed Water heater to said filter; means, interposed in said drain pipe, for conveying the condensate of the exhaust steam, unmixed With the feed Water, from the heater to the filter; a Water discharge pipe leading from the filter to the tender tank; and a valve controlled oil discharge pipe leading out of the filter.

2. In a locomotive feed Water heating system, the combination of a feed Water heater locatedon a locomotive; a feed pump supplying Water thereto from a tender tank; an exhaust steam pipe discharging a separated current of exhaust steam into the heater; a forcing pump; a drain pipe leading from the heater to said pump; a filter located on the tender; a delivery pipe leading from the forcing pump to the filter; a Water discharge pipe leading from the filter to the tender tank; and a valve controlled oil discharge pipe leading out of the filter. EARL A. AVERILL. Witnesses WV. H. LOVEKIN, W. T. BENNISON. 

